1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an inverted microscope.
2. Related Background Art
In a conventional inverted microscope, an objective lens and a revolver for fixing the objective lens are disposed below a stage. In epi-fluorescent observation, a specimen is observed by attaching an epi-fluorescent device to a space assured in advance. As a light source for the epi-fluorescent device, a mercury lamp or xenon lamp is normally used. As disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,756,611, a microscope capable of switching from the epi-fluorescent device to another device is known to those who are skilled in the art.
In recent years, it is required to simultaneously use a confocal optical system, caged reagent cleaving optical system, laser manipulation optical system, and the like together with the epi-fluorescent device depending on the specimen to be observed.
However, in the conventional inverted microscope, since the two end portions of the stage are fixed to the base of the microscope, the positional relationship between the stage and the base in their height direction cannot be changed. For this reason, no new optical system other than the epi-fluorescent device can be added onto the optical axis of the objective lens. If an output port is provided to the side surface of the microscope base, an additional optical system may be attached thereto. However, if this is done, since the additional optical system extends from the side surface of the microscope base, the apparatus becomes bulky.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an inverted optical system in which a plurality of optical systems (optical units) can be located on the optical axis of the objective lens.
In order to achieve the above object, an inverted microscope according to the present invention comprises:
a microscope base;
a stage;
an observation optical system having an objective lens;
a stage support member which is arranged on the microscope base and supports the stage at two ends;
and
a change member which can change a level position of the stage with respect to the microscope base.
According to the inverted microscope of the present invention, since the level of the stage with respect to the microscope base can be changed, a new space can be formed between the stage and microscope base. Hence, a plurality of required optical systems (optical units) can be stacked in this space. As a result, various kinds of observation can be made using various optical systems in the inverted microscope, thus broadening the range of utilization of the inverted microscope.
The objective lens converts light received from a specimen placed on the stage into a collimated light beam (or parallel rays),
the observation optical system has an imaging lens which is arranged inside the microscope base, and focuses the collimated light beam coming from the objective lens, and
at least two housings, each for storing an optical path split element for splitting an optical path along an optical axis of the objective lens, can be inserted between the objective lens and the imaging lens.
The stage support member can be attached/detached to/from at least one of the stage and microscope base, and
the change member may be a spacer member inserted between at least one of the stage and microscope base, and the stage support member.
The change member may have a guide provided to at least one of the microscope base and stage support member, and a movable member which is provided to at least one of the stage and stage support member, and is vertically movable along the guide together with the stage.
In the inverted microscope of the present invention, a light irradiation system or light-receiving system can be inserted in the optical path split by the optical path split element.
The inverted microscope may further comprise:
a revolver for holding the objective lens;
a holding member for rotatably holding the revolver; and
a focusing member for vertically movably supporting the holding member with respect to the microscope base, and
at least one of the housings each for storing an optical path split member can be inserted between the holding member and the focusing member.
The inverted microscope may further comprise:
a revolver for holding the objective lens;
a holding member for rotatably holding the revolver; and
a support member, one end of which is fixed to a lower surface of the stage, and which supports the holding member at the other end thereof to be movable in an optical axis direction of the objective lens.
The inverted microscope may further comprise:
a transmission illumination system for transmission-illuminating a specimen placed on the stage;
an illumination arm which is arranged on the microscope base and supports the transmission illumination system; and
an adjustment member which can adjust a position of the illumination arm in a direction of height thereof with respect to the microscope base.
Furthermore, the stage has a U-shaped section defined by a specimen placing portion and two leg portions formed on opposite end portions of the placing portion, and the two leg portions can be attached/detached to/from the stage support member.
An inverted microscope according to another aspect of the present invention comprises:
a microscope base;
a stage;
an observation optical system having an objective lens;
a stage support member for supporting the stage with respect to the microscope base;
a switching member having a plurality of objective lenses and capable of inserting one of the objective lenses into an optical path of the observation optical system selectively; and
a support member, one end of which is fixed to a lower surface of the stage, and which supports the holding member at the other end thereof such that the holding member is movable in an optical axis direction of said one of the objective lenses.
According to the inverted microscope with this arrangement, since the relative positional relationship between the stage and objective lens remains the same even when the level of the stage has been changed, position adjustment of the objective lens upon changes in stage position is very easy. When a specimen is kept at a given temperature using a temperature control device such as a heating stage or the like, heat from the stage is conducted to the objective lens via the support member and holding member. Hence, the objective lens can be set at nearly the same temperature as the stage, and specimen observation can be performed while keeping the specimen at the preset temperature.
A stage for an inverted microscope according to still another aspect of the present invention comprises:
a specimen placing portion; and
two leg portions formed on opposite end portions of the placing portion,
wherein the stage has a U-shaped section, and the two leg portions can be attached/detached to/from a stage support member of an inverted microscope.
Since the stage with a U-section is used, the level position of the stage can be easily shifted upward.